Head on Straight
by btvscharmedgirl
Summary: GKM Fill: After Shelby confront Quinn about trying to take Beth back, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Contains non-sexual spanking. Heed the warning.


I hope you all like this. Just another GKM fill. This does contain disciplinary spanking. Please let me know what you think

**The Prompt:**

**After Shelby confronted Quinn about trying to take Beth back and Quinn called her a whore, Shelby said that taking out her nose ring and dying her hair back blond doesn't make her less lost. Shelby decides that she can help Quinn find herself by giving her what's coming to her. Should involve Shelby punishing Quinn, could involve them developing a deeper mother/daughter or even romantic relationship.**

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Head on Straight

Almost a month had past since Shelby had confronted Quinn about her plan to get Beth back. During that month a lot had happened in Shelby's life. Beth cut her lip, and need to be taken the hospital. Puck had tried to sleep with her, which she had promptly turned down. He then apparently went and told Quinn that they had slept together, who had threatened to tell Figgins as a last ditch effort. Her team had lost Sectionals due to the New Directions pulling a last ditch attempt at playing the home field advantage card, and last but certainly not least, her and Rachel had finally found a good wave in their relationship.

In such a short time, Beth had become attacked to Quinn, and was constantly asking for her Winn, especially after Shelby had give the toddler the beautiful knitted blanket that Quinn had made for her. When Shelby had told Quinn that she wasn't comfortable with her seeing Beth anymore, she had meant it, but after giving herself a few days to cool off, she realized that she may have jumped the gun on this one.

Shelby realized that Quinn was practically screaming to be helped. She knew that Quinn had been lost since she return to McKinley and saw how much the girl had changed. The only problem was that she didn't know what was making the girl go crazy. So she started keeping a close eye on her.

After a week had passed, Shelby decided to call Judy and talk to her about Quinn. Shelby had called Judy five times during a two week course, and each time Judy had been drunk, to the point that Shelby could barely understand anything she was saying.

Instead of confronting Quinn about her mother's drinking, Shelby decided to just wait. As much as she wanted Beth and Quinn to have a relationship, she needed Quinn to start acting more responsibly. After the Sectionals incident though, Shelby decided that she had had enough. Quinn clearly needed somebody to guide her to where she was supposed to be, and Shelby was going to be that person.

The Wednesday after Sectionals, Shelby held Quinn after class and told her that if she wanted to see Beth again she was to be at her house at five o'clock on Friday, and to bring an overnight bag.

Quinn couldn't believe that Shelby was letting her see Beth again, but was ecstatic. She had no problem pretending to be or do something in order to get to see her daughter, even if that meant she had to endure a whole night with Shelby.

She arrived at Shelby's apartment ten minutes early, and got quite a shock. It was Rachel who had opened the door, not Shelby, and she was holding Beth, who was bundled up in her winter jacket, a hat, and little gloves.

"Winn, Winn, Winn," Beth cried out, and tried to jump out of her sister's arms to get to Quinn.

"Hello Quinn," Rachel greeted, as she passed Beth to Quinn. "Come on in, Shelby will be out in a moment. She forgot to pack Beth's blanket. Apparently, she won't sleep with out it."

"Pack?" Quinn asked dumbfounded, but did not take her eyes of the little girls in her arms.

"Yes, Beth is sleeping over at my house tonight," Rachel replied.

Quinn looked at Rachel in confusion, and was about to ask what was going on, when Shelby returned holding the blanket Quinn had made for Beth.

"Hello Quinn," Shelby said, and then handed the blanket to Rachel. "Here you go sweetie. You're all set now, and remember to call if you need anything."

"I will Shelby," Rachel said, as she tucked the blanket into her overstuffed duffle bag, and then took the little girl back form Quinn. "Say goodbye to Mommy, Beth."

"Bye-Bye Momma," Beth said to Shelby.

Shelby placed a kiss onto Beth's head, and said, "Bye Bye Baby. You have fun, and be a good girl for Rae-Rae."

"Bye Shelby," Rachel said, and then started to walk out of the door. "Bye Quinn."

"Bye Winn," Beth called, as they disappeared into the hall way.

"Shelby what the hell is going on? You said I could see Beth," Quinn said angrily.

"First off, watch your mouth. I will not tolerate cursing in my home. Second off, I said that if you want to see Beth again you were to be here at five, not you were actually going to see her, and thirdly you did just see her. It may have only for a few moments, but that was still more then I was planning on for tonight."

"If you weren't going to let me see her, then what the hell am I doing here?" Quinn spat.

"Quinn I have already warned you once, not to curse. If you do it again you will not like what I do to you. Do you understand?"

"Ya know what? Fuck you," Quinn yelled, and then tried to walk out of the apartment, but Shelby stopped her. Before Quinn knew what was happening, four hard swats landed on her bottom. Two on each cheek.

Ow, Shelby what the he...ck?" Quinn asked, catching herself at the very last second.

"I warned you to stop cursing at me," Shelby said, and then led Quinn over to the couch. "Now if you would please drop the attitude I will explain what is going on, but if you want to continue giving me attitude, by all means. Go right ahead. You'll just have a very sore bottom by the time you do decide to drop it."

Quinn knew that Shelby would do exactly what she was threatening, and she really wanted to know what was going on. "Fine," Quinn huffed, and as calmly as she could said, "Will you please explain why I am here, and Beth isn't."

"I asked Rachel to take Beth for the night, so that you and I could talk. We have a lot to discuss before I will let you come and see Beth on a regular basis," Shelby explained.

"I don't think that there is anything for us to discuss," Quinn said.

"The fact that you believe that we have nothing to talk about, is one of the thing that we have to talk about. This is it Quinn. If you want to see Beth again, then you will talk to me." Shelby said.

"Fine," Quinn huffed again. "What do you want to start with?"

"With dinner," Shelby said, and then stood up. "Come on, I already have the chicken ready to go into the oven, so we just have to make the pasta."

"I did not come over here to be your next teenaged conquest Shelby. So if you think that you are going to butter me up with food, think again. I'm not into cougars," Quinn remarked scornfully.

"Quinn I have already told you that Puck and I have never slept together. He propositioned me, but I turned him down. Besides, I'm not into women, although it seems that you are," Shelby remarked innocently.

"Shut the fuck up. You don't know a damn thing about me," Quinn yelled, barely a second later, Shelby had sat back down and she found herself across the older woman's lap, staring at the floor. She felt her dress being lifted and then she felt another four sting swats land on her scantly clad backside.

"Ow, Shelby," Quinn said, as the older woman helped her up. She tried to rub the sting out, as she spat, "You are not my mother. You have no right to do that."

"I may not be your mother, but you are disrespecting me in my home," Shelby said, in her best mom voice. "And from where I am standing, it looks like you could use a mother figure in your life."

"You no nothing about me, or my mother, and you sure as hell don't know anything about my life. Why don't you go worry about the kid you sold," Quinn yelled.

Shelby ignored the comment. She knew that Quinn was just lashing out, and that she was using her as an outlet. She had clearly hit a nerve when she innocently suggested that Quinn liked girls. Something that maybe she would have to bring up down the road.

"Your right. I know very little about your life right now, but I do know that you are hurting. I am trying to help you. For you and for Beth. She deserves to know her birth mother, but not if you can't get your head on straight. So please stop fighting me, and come help me make dinner."

Quinn didn't trust herself to speak at the moment, so she just nodded her head, and allowed Shelby to lead her into the kitchen. She was directed to sit in a chair, and then Shelby started to get thing out of the fridge and cabinets.

"My first rule is no swearing," Shelby said, as she placed the chicken into the oven. "Beth is starting to repeat everything thing she hears, and I do not want my baby to have a potty mouth."

"She's not your baby," Quinn grumbled.

Shelby sighed loudly, and then stopped her preparations. She sat own next to Quinn and said, "Yes she is. She is my baby in every way that Rachel is Leroy's baby. I have been taking care of her, loving her, being her mother. I love her just as much as I do Rachel."

"Not a whole lot then," Quinn snarled.

"A mother's love, knows no bounds, Quinn," Shelby said calmly. "Do you love Beth any less then the day you gave her to me?"

"No," Quinn said with fierce. "I love her just as much as I did then."

"Your actions lately haven't showed that," Shelby said, and then got back up, and let Quinn think about what she had said. After she had put the pot of water and the sauce onto the stove, she started again.

"You were right when you said that you were doing what you thought was best for Beth when you gave her up, and in a way you were right about me being a cash whore. I saw that ad in the paper, and I couldn't pass it up. All that money, and I would give two men the chance to have a child. It was a win-win situation. Except that it wasn't. I underestimated how much the little baby growing inside of me would touch me. I thought for sure that I would not think twice about giving her up, but I did. I fell in love with Rachel, before she was even born. I struggled with giving her to Leroy and Hiram every day of my pregnancy, but in the end I chose to do what was best for Rachel. I wasn't ready to be a mother, and I knew that I would be hurting Leroy and Hiram by taking that baby away from them. So I went through with what I started, instead of fighting it."

Shelby paused to stir the sauce and pour the noodles into the pot of water.

"Is that why you left Rachel again when Beth was born?" Quinn asked, curious. She didn't want to admit it, but she understood what Shelby was talking about.

"No," Shelby said sadly. "And yes. So much time had passed. Rachel wasn't my baby anymore. She wanted something that she already had. Two loving parents. She was still so young, and after seeing her a few times, I knew that my presence in her life would complicate things. She wanted me to be her mom, but that wasn't what she needed. What she needed was normality, and the chance to get to know the part of her that comes from me. I knew that until she was able to not think of me as another parent, we would never have a good relationship. I was also afraid that my presence would ruin her relationship with her fathers."

"So you left for her own well being," Quinn summed up.

"Just like you did for Beth," Shelby said, and then got up again. Quinn remained quiet while Shelby finished dinner, and half way through eating her meal. Well, it was more like pushing it around her plate, which Shelby had notice. "Quinn please eat. You look like you've dropped ten pounds since the start of school."

"I'm not hungry Shelby," Quinn mumbled.

"I don't care. You need to eat at least half of that," Shelby said.

"And if I don't?" Quinn asked challengingly.

"Then on top of going to bed with a sore butt, you will be going there early," Shelby said.

"You're going to spank me for not eating?" Quinn asked crudely.

"No I am going to send you to bed early for not eating. You are getting the spanking regardless," Shelby said nonchalantly.

Quinn's mouth dropped open. She could not believe her ears. "You have no right to do that Shelby. You are not my mother, and I am eighteen for cry out loud," Quinn screeched.

"I believe that we have already established the mother part of that, and as for your age. You have not been acting like an eighteen year old, and since I was the one that you wronged, then I am the one who should punish you."

"What the hell did I do to deserve a freaking spanking?" Quinn asked.

"For starters you continue to curse at me, even though I have repeatedly warned you not to. If you can't even control your tongue now, then I won't be able to trust you to hold it when you're with Beth," Shelby said calmly. "And was it not you who tricked me into letting you baby sit, just so you could plant incriminating evidence in my home, and then call child protective service on me."

"Haven't I been punished enough for that? You kept me away from my daughter for three weeks. Isn't that enough for you?"

"No. I didn't keep you away from Beth as a punishment. I kept you away from her, because I no longer felt comfortable with you being around her," Shelby said. "Quinn, please just eat your food, and we will discuss this further, after we are done."

"No," Quinn yelled, and slammed both of her hands down onto the table. "Not until you explain to me why you are doing this. All I want to do is to be with my daughter."

"And that is why I am doing this," Shelby said calmly. "So that you can get to be with Beth."

"Then just cut the crap Shelby, and let me see her," Quinn said.

"I will, but first you need to get your head above the water," Shelby said. "I am doing this to help you. This dinner, the spanking I am going to give you, you staying here tonight, and me being here to listen like a mother would. It's all so that I can help you, and give my daughter something that she should have. You, her birth mother."

"I already have a mother Shelby," Quinn said bitterly. "I don't need another one."

"And how many nights a week does your mother spend drowning herself in the bottom of a bottle?" Shelby asked.

Quinn's head snapped up and looked at Shelby in shock. How could she have possibly known that.

"I've called your mother five times in two weeks, and each time she was drunk," Shelby said. "I wanted to see if she knew what had started this downward spiral you seem to be on, and after the second call I figured that she was at the very least partially to blame. You need a mother in your life Quinn. I may not be her, but I am more then willing to step up for a little while and fill that void."

"What about Rachel? Ya know your actual daughter?"

"Rachel and I are in a good place right now. When I asked her to take Beth this weekend I explained why. She feels the same way I do. You need help. I believe she said something about your crazy needing to be reeled in."

"Sounds like something Finn would say," Quinn commented, and then calmed down a little.

Shelby smiled and then said, "Yeah she said that, too."

A comfortable silence feel between them as Shelby continued to her spaghetti and chicken. She knew that there was a lot for Quinn to think about. She kept a close eye on Quinn, and smiled when the girl started to eat her food.

Quinn understood everything that Shelby had said so far. She had screwed everything up so bad, and now didn't know how to fix any of it. She was hurting, and every day that passed she grew angrier, and Beth was the light at the end of the tunnel. She was the one perfect thing in Quinn's life. The one thing that she hadn't screwed up, and every second that Beth wasn't with her, was another second that she drowned in her anger. She didn't want to hurt anymore. She didn't want to be angry anymore either. All she wanted was to be with her daughter, and at this point she didn't care if she got her back. Just as long as she got to spend time with her.

Could she bring herself to do what Shelby was suggesting? Could she go over Shelby's lap for a spanking, or worse talk about her feelings? She had to. For Beth.

"If I do this. Accept your punishment, and talk to you, then I get to see Beth again?" Quinn asked, just to make sure that Shelby wasn't backing out.

"Yes," Shelby said. "But in order to keep seeing Beth after this weekend you and I have to have dinner once a week, so that I know you are doing okay."

"Okay," Quinn agreed.

"Good," Shelby said.

"I'm full," Quinn said, staring at her half eaten plate of food.

"Okay," Shelby said, and then took the plate over to the counter. "Well just wrap it up and put it into the fridge, and if you get hungry later you can always eat the rest."

Together they helped each other clean up the kitchen, and then got situated in the living room.

"What do you want to do first?" Quinn asked, anxious to get thing started.

"What do you mean?" Shelby asked.

"Do you want to talk first, or spank me first?" Quinn clarified.

"Which do you want to do first?" Shelby asked.

Quinn was dumbfounded by that answer. Shelby had been telling her what to do for the last hour and thirty minutes, and this is the time she chose to let Quinn decide. Which did she want to do first? She wanted to do the one that she would go crazy wait to happen, which hands down was the spanking. "I want to do the spanking," Quinn grumbled.

"Okay, then we'll get your punishment out of the way," Shelby said, and honestly she was glad that Quinn chose the spanking first. Shelby always opened up to her mother about all of her problems after a spanking. There was just something about being comforted after a spanking that allowed Shelby to lower her guards. Shelby saw a lot of herself in Quinn, and was hoping that the girl was like that as well. "Before we start, I want you to understand why I am punishing you. I want to teach you a lesson."

"Okay Shelby," Quinn said.

"When you planted those thing my apartment and then called child protective services, you were not only being selfish, but you were also putting Beth's life in danger. If CPS had found just cause to remove Beth from my care, she would not have gone back to you, because you gave up all parental rights when you allowed me to adopt her. She would have gone into foster care, until I could prove that I am a fit mother, and a lot of those people only do it for the money. She could have been placed with a drug dealer or user, child molester, alcoholic, abuser, or somebody who would ignore her entirely. The system is not perfect, and there are times that this happens."

A wave of guilt hit Quinn hard. She had been so wrapped up in getting Beth back, that she never even considered the facts. Shelby was right, she was being selfish, and had put her daughter's life in danger.

Tears welled in Quinn's eyes, threatening to fall, but they didn't. Shelby saw this, and knew that she had gotten through to the girl. Without any further lecturing, Shelby pulled Quinn over her lap. She wasted no time before bring her hand down onto Quinn's covered bottom. Shelby knew that the thin material of the dress would do little to protect Quinn from each stinging swat.

Quinn gasped when each swat hit her butt, but remain quiet otherwise. Shelby had been placing slow, lazy swats evenly onto Quinn's bottom for two minute when the girl started to squirm around a little bit.

Shelby briefly stopped to pull Quinn's dress up over her back, before resuming her spanks. She out a little extra force into each swat this time, and picked up speed as well. She knew she was having an effect on Quinn when the girl started to kick her legs every few seconds, but she still had not said a word or even cry out. In fact the gasping had stopped as well, which meant that she was purposely trying to stay stoic. Shelby need Quinn to let every thing go though, and the best way to do that was through tears.

She stopped spanking again, and hooked her thumbs underneath Quinn's panties, and tried to pull them down, but Quinn had thrown her hands back to stop her. "Please Shelby, not bare."

"Sorry Quinn, but you are getting a bare bottom spanking," Shelby said, and then swatted Quinn's hands away, and pulled the panties down to her mid thighs.

Quinn cried out when the first swat connected with her already red cheek, and again when another swat hit the opposite cheek. Shelby rained down hard fast swats for close to a minute, before she heard Quinn start to sob. It was hard for her to hear it, but it meant that she had down her job well. She continued to spank the blonde for another minute, slowing the spanks down with each passing second, until she came to a complete stop. It was a mild spanking, compare to what she had gotten growing up, but there was still one more phase that she had to do.

Shelby rubbed Quinn's bottom until the girls sobs subsided, but refused to let her up when she tried. "We're not done yet, Quinn," She said, and held Quinn firmly in place.

"But you stopped," Quinn said.

"Yes, so that you could calm down a little. I need you to be able to talk for the next part," Shelby replied. "There is a paddle underneath the couch there. Hand it to me please"

"Shelby no, please I've had enough," Quinn said, and tried to get up.

"I won't give you any more then what you can handle Quinn," Shelby said. "I stopped your regular spanking early, so that I wouldn't hurt you with the paddle."

"Then why use it at all?" Quinn asked, through heavy tears.

"To separate you punishments. You spanking for what you have down so far this year is over, and forgiven, but I think that there are something that you have done in the past that you could use some forgiveness for as well."

"Like?" Quinn asked.

"You're going to tell me," Shelby said. "Now please hand me the paddle, before I decide to continue with a little more hand spanking before we use it." Quinn almost immediately found the paddle and handed it to Shelby. "I told you before, that the first step to becoming an adult, is for you to stop punishing yourself for things that you did as a child. You haven't done that yet, and I think that is part of your issue. So I am going to punish you for everything that you think you did wrong or that you feel guilty about. That way you can truly move on from them. Okay?"

"Yeah, it's not like I have a choice," Quinn said.

"Your right. You don't, but please remember that I am only doing this to help you," Shelby said. "I want you to start with the night Beth was conceived, and then work your way up to the start of the new school year."

"Um, Okay. I cheated on Finn with Puck," Quinn said.

Shelby swung the paddle down, and connected it with Quinn's right butt cheek. A loud crack sounded through the room, Followed closely by Quinn screaming. She flung her hand back to rub her butt, which felt like it was on fire. The paddle was so much worse then Shelby's hand.

"Keep going Quinn," Shelby said, as she pushed Quinn's hand away.

"I... I lied to Finn and every body about Beth's paternity, and I never told Mr. Schue about what his crazy wife was planning," Quinn said quickly, bundling two things together, hoping to get only one paddle. No such luck. Shelby land two swats with the paddle onto her bottom. "Ow," Quinn yelled as she threw her hands back to cover her butt.

"Quinn, stop throwing your hands back," Shelby said, as she swatted them away.

"But it hurts Shelby," Quinn cried.

"I know sweetie, but you'll feel better after were done. I promise," Shelby said, and ran her hand soothingly over Quinn's back. "What's next?"

"Giving Beth up. I feel guilty about giving Beth up," Quinn replied.

"Quinn I am not going to punish you for that. We will talk about that later, but I refuse to punish you for trying to give your daughter a good life."

"But.."

"No, Quinn," Shelby dismissed. "What's next?"

"I broke Santana's confidence, and told Coach Sylvester about her boob job," Quinn said, and braced herself for the next swat, which didn't come.

"You need to relax Quinn. I don't want to accidentally hurt you because you're too tense," Shelby said. The second Quinn had been able to relax, Shelby landed another swat.

Quinn didn't wait for Shelby to ask for the next one. She wanted this over with, and as soon as possible. "I cheated on Sam with Finn, and I pretended to befriend Rachel to keep her away from Finn." She felt two hard paddles land on her bottom, and she cried out for each one. "Ow, please no more Shelby," she begged.

"Is there anything else that you feel you did wrong or are guilty about?" Shelby asked.

"Rachel. I feel guilty about Rachel. I was such a bitch to her, to every body really. I...I bullied her just because I could," Quinn said.

"How did you bully her?"

I ordered her to be slushied, and I made up mean names, and drew pornographic pictures of her in the bathroom, and started rumors about her," Quinn cried.

"Is that it?"

"Yeah that's all the really bad things that I've done," Quinn cried.

Shelby hooked her leg over Quinn's and then landed eight hard swats to Quinn's bare backside. One for each infraction, and four for good measure. Quinn was sobbing again. That was easily the hardest, and most therapeutic spanking she had ever received.

Shelby rubbed her hand over Quinn's bright red backside, and could feel the heat radiating off of her. Quinn would definitely be feeling this tomorrow. Shelby pulled Quinn's panties back up, and pulled her dress back into place.

"Come on, Quinn," Shelby said, and then help Quinn to stand up. "It's over now," She whispered into Quinn's ear as she hugged the crying girl. She then maneuvered then back onto the couch, so that Quinn was cradled in her arms, and her head was resting on Shelby's shoulder.

It took Quinn awhile to calm down, and to stop crying. Not only because her ass felt like she had sat on hot embers, but also because she was letting go of everything she had done. Shelby was right. She had been punishing herself for all of the crap she had pulled, much more then she had told Shelby about, but she had to let all of it go now. It was the only way she was going to move on. Instead she had to focus on making things right. With Puck, Finn, Sam, Santana, and even Rachel. And even more with Shelby.

"I'm sorry that I did that to you," Quinn said softly, once she had calmed down.

"I know you are, and I've already forgiven you for it," Shelby said and then handed her a tissue. "Are you ready to talk now?"

"Yeah," Quinn said quietly.

Just as Shelby had hoped. "Good," Shelby said and then tried to shift them so that they could face each other, but Quinn had her in a vice grip, and refused to move. "Quinn, how often does your mother drink?"

"Almost every day," Quinn replied. "It wasn't so bad when my dad still lived at home. They both drank, but she still cooked and cleaned, and was still my mom. After I moved home I noticed that she was drinking a little more heavily, but she was still functioning, so I ignored it."

"What happened to change that?" Shelby asked.

"We had to move out of the house over the summer, because it was going to sold, and moved into a small apartment. Then she lost her job. After that happened she just was gone. She spends all of her time drunk."

"How does she pay the bills?" Shelby asked.

"She doesn't," Quinn said.

"My dad had his accountant pay them for her. It was part of his alimony settlement," Quinn replied.

"Is your mom being abusive towards you? Physically or verbally?" Shelby asked.

"Sorta, she blames me for my dad leaving her, but other then the random comment she leaves me alone."

"So what was with the wardrobe and attitude change?" Shelby asked, although she was sure she knew the reason. She just wanted to see if Quinn could see it.

"I just was tired of being who everybody thought I was, and needed a change," Quinn said.

"I think that was only part of it Quinn. See I think that you were crying out for somebody to notice how badly you were hurting," Shelby replied. "Your life changed a lot over the last few years, and you don't know how to adapt to it all. Am I right?"

Quinn gently nodded her head yes.

"Like I said before, just because you die your hair blonde again, and take out your nose ring doesn't make you any less lost. You need to find who you are, and stop pretending to be whom everybody else wants you to be. You're a good actress, I'll give you that. You had me fooled that you were fine after you went back to being a blonde, but clearly you weren't. I only have one question for you. How are you feeling about everything right now?"

"My butt fees like its on fire," Quinn said, with a teasing smile in place.

Shelby gently swatted Quinn's sore bottom playfully, and said, "Smartass, that's not what I meant and you know it."

"I know. Um I guess I'm feeling numb, which is good I think," Quinn said. "All I've felt the last few years is sadness, anger, and sometimes I just felt guilty. Like every time I would find a little piece of happiness I would feel guilty because I gave Beth to you for that happiness."

"Quinn, what were you thinking and feeling when you decided to give your baby away for adoption?"

"That I couldn't take care of her. I had no home, no job, no family to support me, and no future to support her. I just... I just wanted her to have the best life possible, and I knew that she wouldn't have that if she stayed with me."

"And when I came back, what were you thinking then?" Shelby asked.

"That she was perfect. She was my perfect little baby. The one thing that even I couldn't screw up," Quinn said. "I was being selfish. I wanted her back so that I would have somebody to love, who would love me back unconditionally. I wasn't thinking about how it would affect Beth. I was just being selfish."

"Yes you were, but that's okay. You realize that now, before the situation could escalate further. You have been punished for that to. What you need to concentrate on is what you were thinking back then. You gave Beth to me, for unselfish reasons. To give her a better life then what you could provide. You were not being selfish, so there is no reason to feel guilty about moving on, and finding happiness," Shelby said. "I want you to repeat something. It doesn't matter what I did in the past, all that matters is what I accomplish in the future."

Quinn repeated the phrase, and then thought over the words. Shelby was right. She needed to stop living in the past, and let go of all of her pain and anger. The older women was giving her an opportunity to get to know her daughter, while still letting Beth have the best life. A life that she couldn't provide for her.

"From now on when you are feeling down, or start to slip back into the past, repeat those words," Shelby said.

Quinn was quiet for awhile, and thought over everything that had happened tonight. She was taking comfort in Shelby's embrace, and realized that she was right. She had just needed a mom. Even if it is just for a little while. "Shelby."

"Yeah, sweetie," Shelby replied.

"I'm feeling better now," Quinn said.

"That's good. I'm glad, and if you ever need to talk, or even need a place to stay, you are always welcome here," Shelby said.

"You're going to be a great mom to Beth," Quinn said tiredly. "I'm glad that she has you." After those final words were whispered she fell asleep.

Shelby bent over and placed a tender kiss onto Quinn's forehead, and then watched the girl sleep. She knew she had gotten through to her, and that after today, they were going to be a little family that Beth deserved. There were still things that Quinn needed to talk about, but those could wait. For now, Shelby was sure that things with Quinn were going to be alright.


End file.
